True sovereignty

CBC

8 hours ago

Amidst all the buzz about the future of the Canadian Arctic, some Nunavummiut believe there's one voice missing — the young generation of Inuit who call this land home.
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By Samuel Wat Jul. 27, 2025
Gazing at the land and water surrounding Apex Beach, Iqaluit's Manu Kunuk reflects on how his home in the Arctic has become a focal point for geopolitical tensions.
There's a lot of uncertainty around the world right now, but if there's one thing he's sure about, that's the need for Inuit — and especially youth — to be at the heart of Arctic policy.
'We're the future of the land — we're going to be the next leaders,' he said.
Like many Nunavummiut, Kunuk is still trying to learn about the true meaning of Arctic sovereignty, but he believes it starts with protecting the land and the people living on it.
From a colonial perspective, sovereignty in Canada's North is often tied to military exercises, major infrastructure projects and defence spending — actions the government takes to show its control of the vast region.
Less commonly explored is how Nunavut's communities and the people who live there are already at the heart of Arctic sovereignty.
Nolan Qamanirq, from Arctic Bay, doesn't believe there is a word in Inuktitut that truly describes sovereignty, and it's hard to talk about land ownership because his ancestors didn't believe in that.
'The way the term is used today, especially in Ottawa and in places in Iqaluit, it really feels hollow. It's about military presence, mining approvals, transportation corridors. It's really not about what Inuit and communities prioritize,' he said.
images expandAlassua Hanson set out on a Students on Ice expedition in the Arctic in 2016. This is one of several avenues she believes helps empower youth to become future leaders.
The way the Canadian government is currently trying to reaffirm its borders in the Arctic makes Iqaluit's Alassua Hanson think back to the country's colonial history.
'I find the federal government does control Arctic sovereignty, in a way, because they did try to claim Nunavut before with the missionaries. And Inuit in general were trying to stay on their own land,' she said.
These days, Hanson sees an increasing number of meetings, forums and summits about Arctic sovereignty. She believes some of those discussions should also happen inside the classroom and in youth groups.
'I think a lot of youth should be present or should be knowledgeable about ongoing things for Arctic sovereignty. And I don't think a lot of it is taught in school at all,' she said.
Giving back to the community
Three of Canada's main parties made military announcements in Iqaluit as part of their election campaign blitz earlier this year, but not all of those pledges involved consultation with local leaders. Nunavut's Premier, P.J. Akeeagok said he only learned about the Conservatives' Arctic announcement the day of, and he stressed the importance of consultations.
Part of the Liberal government's own announcement in March was to establish three new military hubs in the North, with Iqaluit set to be home to one of them.
At the time, the Department of National Defence said the hubs will consist of airstrips, logistics facilities and equipment and are intended to support military aircraft operations and also serve as storage for equipment and spare parts.
'Sovereignty isn't proven by planting a flag or opening a port. It's proven by a community's ability to feed itself, govern itself, and pass on knowledge without interference.'
Nolan Qamanirq
To many Canadian leaders, Iqaluit is a strategic location for missions in the Arctic. It has a functional airport and seaport that can accommodate both the navy and air force, for example, and it is also home to one of Canada's forward operating locations, which supports temporary missions.
Yet Kunuk says he often struggles to find information about Arctic sovereignty and updates to what's happening in the territory.
If the Canadian government is serious about sovereignty initiatives, he would like to see more information publicly shared about security developments.
'Hopefully community consultations, maybe even more training [if there is] supposed to be a military base here,' he said.
Bringing Inuit into the conversation
Despite all the talk, Hanson doesn't see much of a military presence in Nunavut. And when there is, she said she often doesn't see Inuit involved.
She said she knows very little about what happens up in Alert, Nunavut, for example — the location of Canada's northernmost military outpost. She knows of a few people who head up there occasionally for work, but very few of them are Inuit.
When there are members of the military in town, or people visiting for some Arctic security conference, she hasn't seen those visitors engaging much with the community.
'They could be more involved. They could provide food hampers, they could do a workshop on the meeting and what they're doing here. They could be present in the community rather than holding five day long meetings or get an opportunity to hear from the locals,' she said.
She adds that youth should get the opportunity to hear about the results of the work these travellers are doing in the community.
Creating global citizens
Empowering Canada's future leaders has been a lifelong passion for Geoff Green. He founded Students on Ice (SOI) 25 years ago, which organizes educational expeditions — combining science and traditional knowledge — for youth to learn more about the Arctic.
Talking about military spending and nation-building infrastructure projects is all well and good, he said, but he wonders where the investment is for youth.
'You're building a house of cards if you're not also investing in youth … they're going to be the ones we need for an upskilled workforce, and the leadership that's needed,' he said.
In his view, a big part of youth empowerment comes from investments in education, plus programs to connect with the land and other youth around the world. He said there are more opportunities for youth nowadays compared to when he first founded SOI, but it's imperative that Canada builds on that.
'So engaging with youth from other parts of the world, seeing their worldviews, their knowledge bases, and having those friendships and relationships formed [early] are critical. We need global youth addressing global issues together,' he said.
'It's an investment in experiential education, which is truly one of the most proven and most powerful forms of education.'
Kunuk echoes that sentiment, having been a delegate to international forums in the past, including to the Arctic Circle Assembly in Iceland last year.
'It really opens the doors for me, especially being here in Nunavut, in an isolated community and territory,' he said.
images expandFor Manu Kunuk, Arctic sovereignty means ensuring the people living in the region are healthy and well.
No flag or port can replace true sovereignty
Ultimately, Qamanirq believes Arctic sovereignty can only exist if Canada recognizes the true priorities of northern communities.
'Sovereignty isn't proven by planting a flag or opening a port," he said.
'It's proven by a community's ability to feed itself, govern itself, and pass on knowledge without interference.'
'I don't think we need more youth leadership programs that teach us how to behave like bureaucrats. We need more programs that teach us our rights in our language, that explain what was negotiated in the land claims and what was left out," he added.
Qamanirq also calls on Canada to be more open to partnerships with other countries in the circumpolar world, who share similar interests and challenges.
'If there was a serious attitude about sovereignty in the Arctic, [Canada] would let Inuit strengthen ties across the Arctic without forcing national policy filters. These connections are older than the borders and we shouldn't have to ask permission to remember them.'
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